Fire Safety Research Institute

Join us at FDIC International for a classroom session to learn how coordinated suppression, isolation, and ventilation can be leveraged to provide the best conditions for searching firefighters and potentially trapped occupants. Session date: Thursday, April 10 | 3:30 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. Speakers: Craig Weinschenk Visit booth #4796 for additional training resources. Learn more about FSRI's presence at #FDIC2025 here: https://lnkd.in/ek9bmE9x #FirefighterTraining

Today's virtual event will be filled with discussion, tips, and resources related to responding to lithium-ion battery fires. Register now or watch the recording after to hear from FSRI's Nate Sauer, PhD on our latest research and recent electric vehicle experiments. Thank you National Volunteer Fire Council for inviting us to the table. #LithiumIonBatteries #BatteryFireSafety

Exterior walls are one of the largest exterior components of a residential home, making them a critical factor in the spread of fire between structures. This spread can be especially catastrophic in densely populated areas and wildland-urban interface (WUI) communities, so researchers at the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), part of UL Research Institutes, have been investigating this risk. Our team recently published the peer-reviewed article “Residential Exterior Wall Reaction to Post-Flashover Compartment Fires” in Fire and Materials after conducting experiments studying the behavior of different wall assemblies exposed to exterior fire. We saw the impact of structure-to-structure fire spread, and the role of siding materials in that process, during our analysis of the fires in Maui in 2023 and are now seeing it again as we are on the ground in California. This research provides valuable insight that can be used to educate first responders and improve building codes to minimize losses in WUI and structure fires, especially as rebuilding efforts begin. To learn more, visit https://lnkd.in/e6dhs8N2 #WildlandUrbanInterface #WUI #FireSpread Daniel Gorham Fire Materials and Modelling Group

Fire conditions can change rapidly in low-intake, high-exhaust scenarios, creating dangerous flow paths that impact firefighter safety. Understanding how to recognize and mitigate these hazards is critical for both firefighters and company officers. To help improve situational awareness and strategic decision-making, the Fire Safety Research Institute, part of UL Research Institutes, and in partnership with the New York City Fire Department, has launched a new set of free resources, including a: ?? Lesson on the Fire Safety Academy: https://lnkd.in/eczY5dgW ?? “Continuing the Conversation” handout to facilitate discussion following the lesson: https://lnkd.in/eF-UPem3 ?? Simulation video demonstrating how fire conditions evolve in low-intake high-exhaust scenarios: https://lnkd.in/ecuB2wWw This set of tools are designed to support both firefighters by providing practical, task-based training and company officers through tactical-level insights to enhance crew coordination and decision-making. These resources are dedicated to Firefighter Timothy Patrick Klein. On April 24, 2022, while operating at Brooklyn Box 3-3 2075, Timothy made the ultimate sacrifice while battling a wind-impacted fire with a low-intake, high-exhaust flow path. Check out the lesson and handout now on the Fire Safety Academy. Watch the simulation video and improve your understanding of flow path. #FirefighterSafety #FirefighterTraining #FireSafetyAcademy

Through his recent work as a postdoctoral researcher at FSRI, Chandler P. has been studying the contamination of firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE) when exposed to electric vehicle fires, as well as evaluating the cleaning process to remove those contaminants. Last week, he shared findings with members of the fire service as well as the PPE industry during the Fire Industry Education Resource Organization (F.I.E.R.O.) PPE Symposium. Learn more about this round of experiments here: https://lnkd.in/en9TKqzj #FirefighterSafety #FireSafetyResearch #PPE #ElectricVehicles

As we learn more about fires involving electric vehicles, it is important to not only understand the differences in chemical and thermal characteristics, but also improvements that may be needed for future firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE). Last week, Richard Kesler, research engineer for FSRI shared his expertise at the Fire Industry Education Resource Organization (F.I.E.R.O.) PPE Symposium through a presentation and panel discussion. Through our research on electric vehicles and emerging PPE issues, we can continue working together to address the challenges of keeping firefighters safe during these types of incidents. Learn more about our emerging PPE issue study here: https://lnkd.in/dBj5HEJS #FirefighterSafety #FireSafetyResearch #PPE #ElectricVehicles

Join us at FDIC International for a classroom session to learn about evidence-based measures to implement that can protect firefighters from exposure hazards related to fires involving lithium-ion batteries during emergency response, in the fire apparatus, and at the station. Session date: Friday, April 11 from 10:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Speakers: Gavin Horn and Richard Kesler Stop by booth #4796 for additional training resources. Learn more about FSRI's presence at #FDIC2025 here: https://lnkd.in/ek9bmE9x

Sharing our #LithiumionBatteryFire research with the fire service is pivitol to not only helping prevent these fires, but better equipping our first responders. Thank you to the National Volunteer Fire Council for inviting FSRI reseach engineer Nate Sauer, PhD to the table to share our findings with the volunteer fire service. #FirefighterTraining #VolunteerFirefighter #BatteryFireSafety

Our Advisory Board members, representing various organizations and areas of expertise, play a pivotal role in shaping our strategic direction and mapping research priorities. In January, we hosted this committee for a dynamic two-day meeting to discuss research priorities, ways to enhance collaboration, and how to maximize our impact. Through structured sessions and dynamic group discussions, FSRI leaders and Advisory board members explored what's working well, identified areas for improvement, and mapped emerging trends that will shape fire safety research in the coming years. To read more about this collaborative two-day meeting, visit https://lnkd.in/eqKwwpDM Sean DeCrane, @Ofodike Ezekoye, Kenneth Fent, Ph.D., CIH, Sean Gray, Kimberlee Guenther, Todd. A. Harms, George Healy, Brian Meacham, Guillermo Rein, ?? Adam K. Thiel, Beth Weckman, Steve Kerber, Daniel Madrzykowski, Dawn Landers Ey, Angie Bennett, Craig Weinschenk, Gavin Horn, Adam Barowy, Tom Jenkins, Keith Stakes, Nicole Sanders-Abbott, CSM, Mark McKinnon, Jason Floyd, Meghan Maloney, Jennifer Williams, Brian Straczewski #FireSafetyResearch #AdvisoryBoard #Collaboration

The National Fire Academy, which plays a pivotal role in equipping the U.S. fire service across various disciplines through rigorous training, was officially shut down last weekend until further notice. See the message below from the Congressional Fire Services Institute for ways that your department can take action and make an impact today. #FireServiceOneVoice